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Francisco activated, gets win in first outing of season

Francisco activated, gets win in first outing of season

9/9/12: With a man on third, Frank Francisco strikes out Michael Bourn swinging to keep the game tied at 2 in the ninth inning

By Mark Emery
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MLB.com |

CLEVELAND -- With the Mets' season winding down, reliever Frank Francisco finally suited up for New York.

Francisco, 33, was activated from the 60-day disabled list on Saturday and then tossed scoreless ball over two-thirds of an inning to notch the win in his first appearance of the season in Sunday's 2-1 victory over the Indians. The right-hander underwent surgery in December to remove a bone spur from his right elbow. There were moments when he felt healthy enough to appear for the Mets, but each time he suffered another setback. This season, he made 12 outings throughout the organization's farm system, posting an 0-2 record and 0.75 ERA.

"I'll get him in there when I think he's got the opportunity to get some outs," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He hasn't pitched back-to-back days, so that's probably something we'll have to be very careful of."

The Mets signed Francisco to a two-year, $12 million deal before 2012, when he had a 5.53 ERA and 23 saves in 26 chances. Collins does not anticipate using him in the ninth inning as the season winds down.

This year, Francisco hasn't had the opportunity to pitch at all in the Majors, let alone close.

"Some guys come back faster. He just didn't do it," Collins said. "But he's the only one who knows how he felt and how to go about it. He's here today."

Francisco was the first player in the Mets' clubhouse on Sunday. The reliever said his elbow feels better and admitted to being disappointed and frustrated by the year's events.

"The good thing is I'm here now," Francisco said. "I was working the whole time to be here, especially in my free-agent year. In your free-agent year, you're trying to give everything you have to get the opportunity to go maybe to another organization, get another chance or maybe sign a new contract, whatever."

Mark Emery is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.